Apparatus for the continuous distillation of crude petroleums and the like



sept 8, 1925. l 1,552,980

E. BLAISE J. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION 0F CRUDEPETROLEUMS AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1924 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

i UNITED STATES iazso PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH EMILE BLAISE, 0F BLAYE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOCIETE DESMARAISFRERES, 0F PARIS, FRANCE, A CORPORATION OF FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION 'OF CRUDE PETROLEUMS AND THELIKE.

Application :filed March 25, 1924. Serial N0..701,803.

To czZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH EMILE BLAISE, subject of the King ofBelgiumj, residing at Blaye, Gironde, France, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Continuous Distillation ofCrude Petroleums and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention has for object an apparatus allowing thecontinuous distillation of crude petroleums, coal tars and all othercomplex mixtures of hydrocarbons to be carried out with simultaneousrectification of the constituents and recovery of the waste heat andalso allowing of obtaining economically in a single operation asextended as desired a range of homogeneous cuts or frac-` tions,suitable for delivery to the consumer, the number of these fractions,their quantity and their composition being capable of regulation at anymoment.

The apparatus according to the invention, comprises a series ofdistillation retorts of any desired number less than the lnumber offractions to be collected. These retorts are heated both by the recoveryof the heat carried away after condensation by the products ofdistillation, and as regards those having the higher temperatures, bymeans of external furnaces.

The recovery of the heat from the condensed products can be effectedeither in the retorts themselves by causing the condensed products topass through these retorts, or in suitable temperature exchangersconnected between the retorts in the line of circulation of the productsto be distilled.

The retorts, installed in rows or batteries for continuous working,distill products corresponding respectivelyto the temperatures to whichthey are raised and deliver their contents from one to another after theliquid has been deprived of the corresponding fraction by beingdistilled 0H.

The products of the distillation pass into condenser-rectifier groups,which may be of any desired number but at least equal to the number ofcuts or fractions which it is desired to obtain. Each of these groupsconsists of a rectifying elementof the bubbling, trickling or othertype, surmounted by a condenser element with a nest' of tubes, coils orother refrigeration device with circulation of water or air, the coolingbeing variable according to the volume tobe dealt with.

The annexed drawing represents diagrammatically by way of example a formof apparatus in accordance with the invention. For the clearness of thedrawing, the pipes leading the cooling water to and from the condensershave been omitted.

The operation is as follows z" Theprimary material to be distilled isintroduced into the head retort A1, in which it is inaintainedvatconstant level, and from which it passes successively through a seriesof suitable pipes into the retorts A2 A3 A, of which the temperatureincreases from A1 to A4. Each retort distills products corresponding tothe temperature to which it is raised, and the vapours evolved aredirected through the pipes a to the corresponding condenser-rectifiergroup, which also receives through -pipes such as b the vapours derivedfrom the elements to the left thereof.

Each condensing element B, according to the variable cooling to which itis subjected, condenses a part of the vapours which pass into it,commencing with those of which the vaporizing'point is the highest, butalso carrymg with them a certain art of the vapours of a lowervaporizatlon point. The whole fraction' condensed flows through the pipec to the top of the corresponding rectifier C, to the lower part ofwhich there also' pass through the pipe al the uncondensed l vapoursfrom the top of the condenser. By

the intimate contact of the vapours and the condensed liquid, whichtravel in opposite directions, rectification is effected and thedistillate collected at the bottom furnishes a homogeneous product whichflows through a pipe e, delivering the cut'- or fraction, the volume ofwhich can be regulated by a valve. An overflow orifice f returns theexcess to the top of the rectifier to the left thereof.

Distillation thus takes place at the same time as rectification as faras theflast retort and the' last condenser-rectifier group.

The cuts or fractions which escape from the differentcondenser-rectifers are directed either into coils passing through there'- torts of which the temperature is lower` than their own', orthrough temperature exchangers, so as to allow of recovering the greaterpart of theiry heat. On leaving the head retort which is the coldest,they pass into refrigerators D which bringthem to the temperaturesuitable for final collection.

The vapours which escape from the last element C1 may be such aseannotbe condensed at the temperature atwhich it discharges its cut orfraction and they escape at g and pass to the refrigerator whichfurnishes by condensation a last supplementary fraction.

Under theseconditions it will bcunderstood that it is possible tolregulate the rate of working in such an apparatus so as to olitain allthe fractions whichk are desired. The supply to the head retort beingmaintained constant and corresponding to a fixed output, and the heatingof' the retorts being itself regulated to supply the heating necessaryfor the total distillation, it is only' necessary to regulate theoutputs'of the cut pipes e, inorder that each of them shall allow toflow in a given time the correspondin g quantity of each fractioncontained in the material submitted to the distillation. The cooling ofeach condenser-rectifier group will regulate itself so as to supplysufficient condensation to ensure the flow of its cut and a slightretro-gradation' or return flow towards the element to its left.

It-will be noted that it is possible -in full working` and at any4moment whatever, to

rmodify the proportions of the fractions in relation to one another bycontrolling simultaneously and as required the valves regulating theflow of the cuts and the means or regulating thecorresponding-refrigeration. Any particular fraction can be increased orreduced in quantity by reducing or increasing one or more of the otherfractions by the same total amount. l

It is evident that if the number of the fractions to be collected isless than the num'- ber ofcondenser-rectifier groupsv it will bepossible to completely shut down the cut at duplicate or trlplicate, asthe casemay be,

the retort in which this cracking process isl belng carried out, so asto allow of it being` placed out of circuit for cleaning by means 00 ofa by-pass device upon thepipe in which the products to be distilled arecirculated.l

lVhat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for continuous distillation of crude petroleums andthe like, in

combination, a series of retorts, a series of condeuser-rectifiersindependent in number, of the number of retorts, pipe connectionsbetween said retorts` betweeneach retort and the lower part of one ofthe condensers,

between the top of each condenser and the lower part of thecorresponding rectifier, and between the topof each rectifier exce t thefirst rectifier and the lower part of t le preceding condenser andpreceding rectifier, a fraction pipe leading away from each rectifier,and means for controlling flow through the fraction pipes.

2. An apparatus for continuous distillation of crude prising, a seriesof retorts,`a series of condenser-rectifiers independent in number ofthe number of retorts, pipe connections between said retorts, betweeneach retort and the lower part of one of the` condensers, .between thetop of each condenser and the lower part of the corresponding rectifier,and between the top of each rectifier, except the first rectifier, andthe lower part of the preceding condenser and precedlngrectilier, afraction pipe leading away from each rectifier and means for cuttin outof operationany desired number o? the fraction pipes, for thepurposadescribed.

3. An ap aratus forcontinuous distillax- 9 tion of cru e petroleums andthe like, comprising, a series of retorts, a series ofcondenser-rectifiers in number equal at least to the number of retorts,pipe connections between said retorts, between each retort and the lowerpart of one of the condensers, between the top of each condenser and thelower part ofthe Icorresponding rectifier, and between the top of eachrectifier, ex-

.cept the first 4rectifier and the lower parts 105 of the precedingcondenser and the receding rectifier, a fraction pipe lea ing away fromeach rectifier, and mea-ns'for controlling flow in each of said fractionpipes, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH EMILE BLAISE.

petroleum's andthe like, com- '80

